Jean

I want to send a handmade gift to a recently married couple living in Switzerland. I know to mark the customs form "Unsolicited gift" and will indicate the value (in materials, as it's handmade) as less than 200 Swiss francs. Although the couple could afford to pay duties, obviously I'd prefer they didn't have to.

Any other tips?

Should I send by USPS or splurge on FedEx/UPS/whatever?

I intended to wrap it as a gift, or should I just tie a ribbon around the gift box on the assumption it might be opened for inspection?

clarkgriswold

one thing I happen to know is that if you use USPS and you insure the shipment, swiss post will not deliver to the recipient, they will leave a note telling them they have a package to be picked up at the post office.

One site where you can compare options/ prices is https://www.parcelmonkey.com/quick-s...3-4c20e1507385

gruezi

Say it is used. Anything new there is a duty on and the Swiss love collecting the duty. If you say “used craft supplies” that might work...

Jean

Thanks for the tips.

So "handmade" means "new"?

gruezi

Well no but in Switzerland hand made or hand worked is typically an expensive item.

The word gift is definitely to be avoided. We would have to pay a lot of duty on gifts well-meaning friends and family sent over.

Say it’s a used item and give it a value of $5.00.

Do not insure it.

Moderator1

Moved and tagged for Switzerland

Jean

Very interesting and helpful. I can see how the word "gift" could be abused....

[Moderators: I don't understand why this thread was moved to "Europe/Switzerland." My questions have nothing to do with travel.]

Christina

nor morals or ethics, apparently, given the advice to flat out lie and call it used craft supplies

suze

Well this won't be helpful but it is on topic. My nearest and dearest friend has lived in Switzerland for decades. Years ago she asked me to stop sending little gifts like I was doing for her b-day or Christmas because she had to go to the post office to retrieve it and pay a duty on it. If there was an easy way around that, I think she would have mentioned it.

Jean

One website that I think is official states that a gift from private individual to private individual up to a value of CHF 100 is exempt from duties and taxes. Am I missing something?

https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home...are%20excluded.

suze

Thanks Jean, maybe things have changed ?? my example is from a long time ago.

Jean

I hope so, suze. I'm going to take the package to my local UPS store and ask their advice. They've been great in the past with any odd questions...

suze

If you don't mind posting how it turns out, I'd love to know. Maybe I'll send a gift afterall... the next birthday -haha.

Jean

Will do.

Jean

Update: The quote from UPS was a stunning $286 for a 5-pound package containing a "gift" with a declared value of $100. Uh, no thanks. The UPS person helpfully calculated that the USPS rate would be $115. Wow.

I went to USPS anyway and talked to my regular clerk. Her USPS calculation was $59. Still a bit insane IMO, but I went ahead and mailed it. Estimated delivery could take 3-4 weeks due to Covid.

I probably should have repackaged the whole thing, eliminated the box, and used a padded mailing envelope, but this was a wedding gift. I might have saved $20-25, but it wouldn't have felt very festive. Of course, if the Swiss open and inspect, my pretty wrapping and ribbon will be ruined anyway... Can't win...

suze

Thanks Jean. Too bad but not surprising. I was hoping there was something new (and more reasonable)

VonVan

Wow, I'd say having an item delivered half-way around the world, in a responsible manner for $59 is an incredible bargain. And a win.

Jean

Well, "responsible" depends on the condition the package arrives in, whether it's trashed by inspectors, etc., and "bargain" depends on the ransom the recipient will have to pay to get it released. The 3-4 week time frame seems ridiculous in the 21st century, but I accept that Covid has disrupted delivery systems.

Jean

Update: As of yesterday, one week since I left the package with USPS, it was still within 5 miles of my house. As of today, the tracking number isn't recognized. Well done, USPS. What an incredible bargain....

Jean

Update: After making a tracking request with a human at USPS (a saga just to reach a human!), my package has been found. It's in San Francisco, which means after 10 days it has traveled about 400 miles. At this speed, the package will arrive in Switzerland in late November.

Just for fun, consider... About 160 years ago, mail going by Pony Express traveled almost 2000 miles in 10 days.